Things haven't been going too well for the USMNT as of late. They didn't even manage to advance past the group stage in the 2024 Copa America, which resulted in them dismissing their head coach Gregg Berhalter. That means the search for a new coach has gotten underway, and it looks like Jurgen Klopp has quickly emerged as one of their top targets.
Klopp departed from his role as Liverpool's head coach after the 2023-24 campaign, stating that he wanted to take a break from the game. The problem for the USMNT is that he appears set to follow through on that statement, as he has turned down their initial interest. While that will likely force their search in a different direction, reports state that interest in Klopp still remains high.
“Jurgen Klopp has rebuffed an approach from the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) to take over as the men’s national team head coach following the dismissal of Gregg Berhalter. Initial contact was made with Klopp regarding the possibility of leading the USMNT but he reiterated that he would like a break from football, according to sources briefed on the matter. Despite that, interest remains, sources add, from US Soccer in making the 57-year-old their next head coach.” – David Ornstein, The Athletic
USMNT not giving up in their pursuit of Jurgen Klopp
U.S. soccer has struggled to find the right leader for their team as they begin to accrue more and more talent, but they have a chance to make the right call finally with whoever their next hire ends up being. Klopp has a track record of turning unheralded teams into some of the best squads in the world at Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool, so he would make sense as a very logical candidate for them.
Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like something that is very likely to happen. Klopp is fresh off a nine-year stint with Liverpool, and it seems like he doesn't have much of a desire to get back into coaching right away. While the USMNT is still interested in him despite that development, they need to move somewhat quickly to bring in a new coach to take over for Berhalter.
While the USMNT certainly isn't the most talented group in the world, they have a lot of young talent, led by guys like Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun. If they can find the right guy to come in and lead this group, there's a chance that could begin to emerge as a real threat in the national soccer landscape.
Until they find that leader, though, chances are they will continue to flounder. Klopp surely would be a fantastic option, but as of right now, it doesn't seem like a move that is all that likely. So now that he's off the board, it will be interesting to see which way the U.S. pivots in their head coaching search.
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